The Most Promising TV Pilots of 2013: From S.H.I.E.L.D. to the Shows of J.J. Abrams

While most of Hollywood is in the throes of the awards season, the small screen segment of Tinseltown is busy ordering up pilots of the shows that could be coming soon to a TV near you.

From Joss Whedon's highly anticipated S.H.I.E.L.D. show to the little-known (and still untitled) project from stand-up comedian John Mulaney and Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels, there are quite a few promising projects in the pipeline -- including new shows from the increasingly busy J.J. Abrams.

To help get a handle on what we here at Wired hope will get ordered to series, we've compiled a list of the best television pilots currently being ordered by the big networks like CBS, ABC, NBC, Fox, and the CW. Check out our picks above, and head here to follow which ones get picked up and see if there are any we missed.

Above:

S.H.I.E.L.D.

Network: ABC

Why it could be great: This Avengers TV spin-off is being helmed by Joss Whedon himself, and even though his directing on the film was fantastic, it's impossible not to be a little excited to see the man who gave us Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly have a TV project on his slate -- particularly a Marvel one. Also, Clark Gregg is coming back. (Agent Coulson lives!) Signs are already indicating that ABC wants to pick this up, so in the meantime grab a shawarma and sit tight.

Why it could be great:Believe -- the tale of a man sprung from prison to protect a young girl with supernatural powers -- has more than just a "WTF?" premise. It's also got the backing of Bad Robot and J.J. Abrams, who will executive produce, and is being written and directed by Children of Men director Alfonso Cuarón (above).

Why it could be great: This is the other Abrams project currently getting a pilot order. The Bad Robot-backed show is being executive produced by Fringe producer J.H. Wyman and takes place in the near-future where humanoid bots work alongside LAPD police officers. Robot cops? What could possibly go wrong?

Why it could be great: John Mulaney has been a consistently great stand-up comic and Saturday Night Live writer for a while now, so a show loosely based on his life -- especially one backed by SNL's Lorne Michaels has the right stuff for a killer comedy.

Why it could be great: This is the latest project from Fringe masterminds Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. It's a supernatural thriller based on the Sleepy Hollow legend set in the present day (so, presumably, there will be less steampunk Johnny Depp). While yet another adaptation of the classic tale might elicit eye-rolls, this one still shows promise when you consider its creative pedigree. Cross your fingers and look out for the Headless Horseman.

Why it could be great: This show is reportedly about a group of nerdy female friends who are out to have "super fun" every night. That seems promising, but the deal-sealer of this show is that it stars Rebel Wilson, who is coming off of a great 2012 with both Bachelorette and the year's best sleeper hit Pitch Perfect. Added bonus: Perfect's Anna Camp is also slated to star in Super Fun Night. (Check them out in the clip above.)

Why it could be great: Based on a yet-to-be-released book series from author Kass Morgan, the show takes place 97 years after a nuclear war that sent survivors off-world to live in a spaceship. The title's "hundred" is -- presumably -- a reference to the 100 juvenile delinquents that are sent from the spaceship back to Earth to investigate recolonizing the planet. Since the show is for the CW, the "juvenile" part will probably be played up a bit more than the sci-fi aspects, but anything post-apocalyptic (ironically) gives us a sign of hope.

Why it could be great: It's a supernatural Western based on Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt's comic book series about a set of guns with ethereal powers. That alone piques our curiosity, but add in the fact that it's being produced by Lost's Carlton Cuse and now you have our attention. Back in 2011, The Sixth Gun was slated to be a mini-series on Syfy, but that never came to pass. Maybe now in the hands of Syfy's corporate big brother NBC, the show will finally make it to the airwaves.

Why it could be great: It's a reteaming of The Office writer/producer Owen Ellickson and star Craig Robinson. And it's about a musician who has to adjust to life as a school music teacher … who has to deal with the temptation of single moms. This seems like Robinson's wheelhouse through and through.

Why it could be great: This show from Parks and Recreation alums Dan Goor and Mike Schur doesn't sound like a comedy – it's about a group of New York detectives. Then you find out that it stars Andy Samberg and the The Expendables' Terry Crews and it all starts to make sense. Samberg hasn't really anchored a show yet, even though he's proven his star quality in movies like Celeste & Jesse Forever (above), so it'll be interesting to see how well he fares if the series gets picked up. Here's hoping he can get his cool famous friends to guest-star (::cough::Justin Timberlake::cough::).